The Shadowseeker - Victor Kloss Page 0,19

he took a deep breath and seemed to put the matter aside. “We have known that Suktar has been building his army for the last fifty years, despite his insistence that it was only to defend his borders. The Department of Diplomacy did a pretty good job maintaining any sort of relationship with Suktar. But being the evil, power-hungry dark elf king that he is, war was inevitable sooner or later. Now it looks like sooner. We have reports that he is moving his army and targeting Fiorgan, a small but tactically important country about five hundred miles west of Spain.”

Ben was enraptured by the revelation, but it didn't answer his most basic question. “What does that have to do with me?”

“I'm getting there,” Draven said. “Part of Suktar's strategy when preparing an invasion is to try to distract us. So the Shadowseeker who caused havoc in our Croydon headquarters could easily have been Suktar's attempt to do just that. I hope, for your sake, that it was.”

Ben didn't like the way Draven finished that sentence. “Why? What is a Shadowseeker? And what else would he be doing?”

“Shadowseekers are Suktar's personal assassins,” Wren said, taking over. “They can move almost undetected and can penetrate enemy lines like nothing else I know. Normally they are sent to eliminate a specific target. Now it's only speculation, and I personally feel it unlikely, but there is a chance the Shadowseeker was looking for you.”

Ben's throat suddenly felt dry. “Why me?”

“The same reason as before,” Draven said. “He wants to get to your parents. The real question is – why does he want them so badly?”

Draven, Colin and even Wren were now looking at him expectantly. Ben managed to keep a straight face and said nothing.

“Obviously we cannot let the dark elves use you as bait again,” Draven continued. “So I would like to have one of my Wardens watch over you. Additionally, I don't want – I mean I would prefer it if you did not leave Taecia until your parents have returned.”

“What?” Ben said, his voice rising. “Is that an order?”

“No, it is not,” Wren said, before Draven could reply, her voice soft and soothing. “It is simply a request we feel would help you and make your time here safer.”

“If the Shadowseeker is after you, then you could be in considerable danger, even within the safety of the Institute,” Colin said.

“They could infiltrate the Institute?”

“Possibly,” Colin said.

“But if I had one of my Wardens watching you, it's unlikely they would reveal themselves. And even if they did, my best Wardens are more than a match for them.”

If they were trying to scare him, it was working. Ben felt sick at the thought that a Shadowseeker could be lurking round the corner, waiting to take him out. But having a Warden watching him would scupper all his plans, and give Draven the perfect excuse to have someone spying on him the whole time.

“I'll be fine on my own,” Ben said.

“Fine?” Draven said, his face going red and his bushy eyebrows soaring upwards. Ben prepared himself for the inevitable tirade, but Wren raised a slender hand, and Draven's voice seemed to stick in his throat.

“You are perfectly entitled to decline,” Wren said. “It is extremely unlikely a Shadowseeker would ever penetrate the Institute. We have powerful wards at every entrance point and even within the building.”

“What about the incident with Prince Robert?” Draven said.

“That was a long time ago,” Wren said, giving Draven a stern look. “A lot of things went wrong that have been rectified since then.”

“It's still possible,” Draven said stubbornly.

“I would definitely recommend the security,” Colin said. “Draven's Wardens are very good; you will barely notice them. However, as Wren says, the choice is yours.”

“Good. I'll pass, thanks,” Ben said, giving Draven a meaningful stare.

Draven clenched his fist, and gave Ben a nasty smile. “You think this is all some joke, don't you, Ben? Well, I'm going to be watching your progress closely. The apprenticeship success rate for those new to the Unseen Kingdoms is less than one in ten, and if you think you're a special case because of your parents, then you're horribly mistaken. The passing mark for you is the same as for everyone else.”

“That's enough, Draven,” Wren said.

But Draven wasn't listening. He pointed a stubby finger at Ben, ready to launch another tirade. A sharp knocking on the door cut him short.

“Who is it?” Draven asked sharply, staring daggers at the door.

The door opened and in